This application claims the priority of German Patent Document No. 101 40 674.6, filed Aug. 18, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a receptacle, which is arranged in an end region of the motor vehicle.
DE 30 00 666 A1 discloses a motor vehicle having a receptacle, as a trunk, which is formed by a pan. The pan is arranged in an end region of the motor vehicle and is made of plastic. The side walls of the trunk are sheet metal parts. The pan is located between two separate longitudinal members of the frame and a cross member connecting the ends of the longitudinal members. These members of the frame are usually made of metal.
An object of the invention is to simplify a motor vehicle of the aforementioned type and to optimize with respect to weight.
The object is achieved with the preferred embodiments of the present invention as described and claimed below.
The advantages of the invention include that the motor vehicle does not need deformable longitudinal members in the end region of the motor vehicle, since the pan, made of a fiber reinforced plastic, functions as an impact deformable element. Thus, the use of the fiber reinforced plastic saves weight not only due to the material, but also because there is no need, as stated above, for the metal longitudinal members of the frame. An additional advantage is that the impact deformable element, thus the pan, serves as the receptacle for baggage, motor vehicle parts or the like. The fiber reinforcement can be constructed of carbon and/or glass fibers.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous that there is no need for the conventional bumper mounting bracket (cross member). The bumper is fastened, according to the invention, to the attachments, installed in the pan. Thus, the pan, in particular its front wall, made of the fiber reinforced plastic, enables the attachment of the bumper.
The pan can be made as one piece, or as multiple parts, where the multi-part design is used especially for complicated pan contours.
The pan can be fastened to the motor vehicle body by an intermediate frame, which is made in particular of aluminum, especially an aluminum casting. Thus, the pan, forming the receptacle, can be connected easily to the vehicle body. However, the pan fastened directly to the body.